Indie fashion to benefit from Small Business Saturday

The UK should follow the US’s example by holding

a ‘Small Business Saturday’ to encourage people to shop in local independent stores, according the UK’s shadow Business Secretary, Chuka Umunna.

"Establishing a Small Business Saturday in the UK, a concept which has enjoyed considerable success in the US, would provide a small but simple and effective way to celebrate local small businesses and encourage more people to buy from them on one of the busiest shopping days of the year,” Umunna.

"We must do more to celebrate the contribution local, small, independent businesses make to our economy and encourage people to buy from them. Small businesses are the lifeblood of our economy, play a hugely important role in our communities and add to the unique character of each locality."

The sponsor behind the US scheme was American Express, and Umunna hopes they will play an integral role in the UK version, which has been suggested to be held December 7 this year.

On last year's equivalent day in the US, more than 5 billion dollars was spent in small stores, with President Barack Obama visiting an independent bookshop.